Make It Memorial

Kick Butte Hike: Get a taste of the Mojave Desert without leaving Los Angeles County! Saddleback Butte State Park is home to a solitary mountain rising 3,651 feet. Bag this peak on a 5-mile (round-trip) journey that ascends 950 feet.

Week: 05.11.2015
Regions: Southern CA

Kick Butte Hike: Get a taste of the Mojave Desert without leaving Los Angeles County! Saddleback Butte State Park is home to a solitary mountain rising 3,651 feet. Bag this peak on a 5-mile (round-trip) journey that ascends 950 feet.

Grand Entrance: The relaxing, artistic town of Ojai makes an impression, and so will you when you roll into town … on two wheels! This mellow 19-mile (round-trip) bike ride on the Ojai Valley Trail starts at Foster Park and takes you all the way into downtown Ojai.

Oh Soak Good: Enjoy a little R&R (retro resort and really warm mineral water). While it might not be a typical desert oasis, the springs at Desert Hot Springs Spa Hotel offer a chance to soak in natural mineral pools, with a piña colada!

Hero Image: If you're looking for solitude at Runyon Canyon Park, you're in the wrong place … unless you decide to hike Route C (aka the Hero's Trail). This grueling path up the park's westernmost ridge isn't for the faint of heart—and sees fewer hikers as a result.

Vouch for Volcan: An hour east of San Diego, Julian is a popular apple pie hub, yet few people venture beyond to nearby Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve at Wynola. They're missing out on a hiker's haven, including a 5-mile (round-trip) summit hike shaded by sycamores and oaks.

Hoppy Ending: Hop on a two-wheeler for a laid-back 14-mile (round-trip) bike ride along the LA River that concludes with a happy—and hoppy!—ending: a craft-brewed IPA paired with fried avocado tacos …  and a gorgeous sunset.

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  1. Caves in Mojave

    No one expects to see caves when they visit the desert, and that’s part of what makes Mitchell Caverns in the Mojave Desert such an interesting place. Go on a two-hour guided adventure tour through Mitchell Caverns in Providence Mountains State Recreation Area.

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